ISSN 1921-3093 (Print)
P1-20/2015E-PDF
Your
Disponible en français
PENSION
AND BENEFITS
Liaison
I N F O R MAT IO N F O R R E T IR E D ME MBERS OF THE F EDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE PENSION PLAN
ISSUE 9 - 2015
Your Web Portal has
Moved to Canada.ca����� 1
Direct Deposit
and epost .��������������������� 1
Survivor Benefits
at a Glance��������������������� 2
• Benefit
Entitlements ������������� 2
• Document Your
Common-law
Relationship ������������� 2
• Marriage After
Retirement ��������������� 3
• Documents
Required������������������� 3
Clarification: Cataract
Lenses��������������������������� 3
Confirmation Form������� 3
Keep us Informed��������� 4
Contact Information����� 4
Your Public Service Pension and Benefits Web Portal has
Moved to Canada.ca
The Government of Canada recently launched the Canada.ca website to
improve access to information and services for Canadians. As part of this
initiative, information about your public service pension and group insurance
benefit plans will now be available on www.canada.ca/pension-benefits.
Visit www.canada.ca/pension-benefits and choose either Public service
pension plan or Public service group insurance benefit plans to access
information that applies to you and to view the latest news.
We encourage you to update your bookmarks and to explore the new
website today.
Sign up for direct deposit and epost — it’s secure,
convenient, and free!
By enrolling in direct deposit, your pension
payments will be deposited to your bank account.
Direct deposit payments are received faster than
mailed cheques and have virtually no risk of being lost, stolen or
damaged. To enroll in direct deposit, call or send a written request
with a void cheque to the Government of Canada Pension Centre.
To view your direct deposit statements, income tax statements,
Liaison newsletter, and Annual Pensioners’ Statement online,
register for epost. Visit www.canada.ca/pension-benefits
for instructions. Choose epost and receive your pension
documents faster!
Survivor Benefits at a Glance
Did you know that in the event of your death, the public service pension
plan provides benefits to your eligible survivor and children? The following
information relates to the different survivor benefit entitlements, eligibility
rules and documents to be sent to the Pension Centre.
Benefit Entitlements
Your eligible survivor and children may be entitled to the following:
At the time
of your death,
if you had…
a spouse
1
The pension
plan may pay…
a survivor benefit
Which is…
a monthly allowance equal to half of your unreduced
pension. This amount would be payable immediately for the
lifetime of your spouse.
dependant children a child allowance2
a monthly allowance equal to 10% of your unreduced
pension payable to each child until age 18, or age 25 if the
child is a full-time student.
dependant
children, but no
spouse
a monthly allowance equal to 20% of your unreduced
pension payable to each child until age 18, or age 25 if the
child is a full-time student.
a child allowance2
equal to the greater of:
no eligible survivor
or children
a lump sum
payment
•the return of your pension contributions plus interest; or
• five times your annual unreduced pension, less any
pension or allowances paid, excluding indexation.
This amount would be payable to your designated beneficiary
under the Supplementary Death Benefit Plan or to your estate.
1
For a survivor to be considered a spouse, you must have been married prior to retirement or lived in an
established common-law relationship before your retirement and for at least one year prior to your death.
2
If there are more than four children, the maximum allowance payable would be equally split among all
eligible children. The maximum allowance for all children is 40% of your unreduced pension, or 80% if there
are dependant children but no spouse eligible for a survivor benefit.
Document Your Common-law Relationship Now
If you are in a common-law relationship that started before you retired, it is important that you inform
the Pension Centre by completing the Statutory Declaration form (PWGSC-TPSGC 2016). The form is
available at www.canada.ca/pension-benefits. Any information you can provide now on the nature of your
relationship will make it easier to determine your partner’s eligibility for a survivor benefit.
Note: A decision on whether your common-law partner is eligible for a pension can only be made upon
your death. At that time, your partner will be asked to provide information which demonstrates that your
common-law relationship continued until your death. Your partner’s eligibility for a pension will be based on
the information you and your partner have provided.
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Marriage After Retirement
If you marry after retirement, your spouse is not normally entitled to a survivor benefit. However, you can
choose to reduce your monthly pension in order to provide your spouse with a pension benefit after your
death. The pension benefit will be paid for the lifetime of your spouse and indexed to the cost of living.
To qualify, you must apply within one year of the date of your marriage, or one year from the date your
pension starts, whichever is later. If your application is approved, the reduction to your pension will be
permanent unless your spouse predeceases you or your marriage ends before your death.
Note: If you marry after retirement but were living in a common-law relationship before you retired, your
spouse may be eligible for a regular survivor benefit.
Documents Required
The Pension Centre encourages you to submit copies of the following documents now to help determine who
will be eligible for survivor benefits upon your death.
Survivor
Documents
Spouse
Marriage certificate
Divorce certificate
Children under age 25
Birth certificate
Adoption papers or proof of guardianship
Common-law partner
Statutory Declaration form (PWGSC-TPSGC 2016); and
Evidence confirming you are living in a conjugal relationship that was established
before your retirement (for example, documents related to a mortgage, lease,
bills, joint bank account, income tax statements, etc.).
Clarification: Cataract Lenses
Confirmation Form
The article on cataract lenses in Issue 8 of the
2014 Liaison newsletter requires clarification.
The Pension Centre may occasionally
send you a Confirmation of File
Information form to verify that you
are receiving your pension payments
and to make sure that your correct
information is on file. This process
ensures public service pensions are
only paid to eligible plan members
and survivors.
Intraocular lenses, needed as a direct result
of surgery (for example: cataract surgery) or
accident, are reimbursed at 80% of the reasonable
and customary charge if the purchase is made
within six months of the surgery or accident. In
other words, there is no applicable limit associated
with the cost of the lenses in these situations.
Should you
receive this
form, promptly
complete and
return it to the
Pension Centre.
Note: Intraocular lenses are covered under the
Public Service Health Care Plan; however, costs
associated with the actual cataract surgery are
not covered. Elective laser eye surgery to correct
vision is now reimbursed at 80% up to a maximum
of $1,000, for a lifetime maximum reimbursement
of $800.
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Keep us Informed
Notify the Pension Centre if there are any changes to the following:
•
•
•
•
•
Mailing address (even if you are enrolled in direct deposit)
Banking information
Marital status (married, common-law, widowed, separated, divorced or single)
Mailing address of your designated beneficiary
Name and mailing address of a contact person in the event of incapacity
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA PENSION CENTRE
CONTACT INFORMATION
Before contacting the Pension Centre, we encourage you to visit Canada.ca for information about your
pension plan and insurance benefits.
www.canada.ca/pension-benefits
When writing to the Pension Centre, it is very
important that you always provide your:
• Pension number
• Surname, first name and initials
• Address (with postal code)
• Telephone number (with area code)
CALL MONDAY TO FRIDAY
Have your pension number ready.
1-800-561-7930 (toll free)
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (your local time)
OUTSIDE CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES
506-533-5800 (collect calls accepted)
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Atlantic time)
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Government of Canada Pension Centre
Mail Facility
PO Box 8000
Matane QC G4W 4T6
TELEPHONE TELETYPE (TTY)
506-533-5990 (collect calls accepted)
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Atlantic time)
Email us at pensioncentre.centredespensions@
pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca if you have comments or
questions about our communication products.
FACSIMILE
418-566-6298
Si vous préférez recevoir ce bulletin en français, communiquez avec nous.
Note: Some federal agencies, Crown corporations and territorial governments do
not participate in the public service group benefit plans. Even if your former employer
did not participate in all public service group insurance benefit plans, you as a retired
member may be eligible to join these plans. To find out if you are eligible, please call
the Pension Centre.
DISCLAIMER – Your Pension and Benefits Liaison newsletter is provided for information purposes only and is not a legal
document on your rights and obligations. Should there be any discrepancy between the information in this document and that
contained in the Public Service Superannuation Act (PSSA) and related regulations or other applicable laws, the legislative
provisions will apply. Similarly, should there be any discrepancy between information in this document and that contained in the
group insurance benefits plan provisions or insurance contracts, the plan provisions or insurance contracts will apply.
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